A ginger bug is a wild-fermented starter culture made with sugar, ginger, and water. It takes about a little less than a week of daily diligence to make one, and you can use it to make probiotic, naturally bubbly soft drinks, sodas, herbal beers, and tonics.
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What is ginger bug?
Ginger bug is a slurry of fresh ginger, sugar, and water that has been allowed to ferment until bubbly and foamy. Brewers use the bug to brew fermented drinks and drinks like root beer, ginger beer, or probiotic lemonade.
Like sourdough starter, ginger bug is a starter culture that is rich in wild bacteria and yeast. These starters kickstart the fermentation process for other fermented foods.
Sourdough starters provide the bacteria and yeast to make bread. Kombucha mothers make kombucha tea. And ginger bugs make homemade, naturally fermented sodas.
How does it work?
When you mix ginger and sugar together with water and let it sit, the wild bacteria and native yeasts in your kitchen and on the ginger itself begin to proliferate and grow. These wild microorganisms eat the sugar in your bug and produce carbon dioxide as a result.
When mixed with sweetened herbal tea, fruit juice, or another base, the microorganisms in the ginger bug consume the sugar in the tea or juice. As they do, they reproduce and emit carbon dioxide that gives homemade soft drinks their bubbles.
What Are The Benefits of Ginger Bug
Since ginger bugs are fermented foods, they're naturally rich in probiotics, namely lactobacillus bacteria, and wild yeasts. These organisms help to support metabolic and digestive health as well as the immune system.
Ginger is a wildly popular culinary herb, and it also has medicinal properties. Herbalists use ginger to support blood sugar regulation, ease nausea, and support digestion (3). And ginger shows promise in easing morning sickness (4) and migraine (5).
So while brews made with ginger bug are still treats, they're far better for you than regular soda.
Ginger Bug vs Ginger Beer Plant
Don't confuse ginger bug and ginger beer plant. While they're both rich in probiotics and used to make natural sodas, they're two different things.
Ginger bugs are wild-fermented starter cultures that rely on the native yeast and bacteria of your kitchen to become bubbly.
By contrast, ginger beer plants are a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) very similar to water kefir and made primarily of the yeast Saccharomyces pyriformis and bacteria like Brevibacterium vermiforme (1). That SCOBY produces tiny, gelatinous crystals that you feed sugar water, lemon, and ginger.
You can make a ginger bug at home, but you must purchase a ginger beer plant. Or, at the very least, know someone who brews it.
Brewing Tips
- Dice the ginger instead of grating it. While many recipes call for grated ginger, cubed or diced ginger works just as well and it's easier to strain, too.
- Use sugar or another caloric sweetener. The yeast and bacteria that make your bug bubble need sugar to help them grow. Sugar is the most common choice, but you can also use honey, maple syrup, palm sugar, or any other caloric sweetener. Avoid non-caloric sweeteners like stevia.
- Turmeric and galangal work well too. You can substitute both fresh turmeric and fresh galangal in place of the ginger, for variety. Or use a combination.
- Use organic ginger. Conventionally grown ginger is often irradiated, which may impact its ability to form a thriving bug (2). Irradiation is disallowed in organic production, so organic ginger works best.
- Use chlorine-free water. Chlorine in tap water can interfere with bacterial and yeast production, so choose filtered water or spring water.
- Seal your jar tightly for the best yeast production. While it may seem counter-intuitive since other fermented drinks, like kombucha, often use an open container, your ginger bug does best in a sealed container like a clamp-top jar.
How to Make Ginger Bug
Making a ginger bug is simple. You'll need organic, unpeeled fresh ginger, sugar or another caloric sweetener, and water. It takes about 5 to 7 days to make a ginger bug and may take less time in warm climates and less in cool climates.
On the first day, you'll mix water with sugar and ginger and allow it to culture in a sealed jar for 24 hours. Then, every day for 4 to 6 days afterward, you'll need to add a small amount of fresh ginger and sugar to the bug.
If your ginger bug begins to foam and bubble or if it smells yeasty like bread or beer, it's ready to use. And you can use it right away or transfer it to a fridge for up to 1 week.
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How to Use Ginger Bug
To make soda from your ginger bug, strain about ½ cup liquid from your jar and stir it into 7 ½ cups of sweetened herbal tea or fruit juice. Pour the tea or juice into flip-top bottles.
Remember to leave ½ to 1-inch head space. And then let your homemade soda culture at room temperature for up to 3 days. Then, transfer the bottles to the fridge and enjoy them within a few months.
It's important to use fruit juice or sweetened herbal tea when you make homemade, naturally fermented sodas. The bacteria and yeast in your bug thrive on sugar. Without it, your soda and beers won't ferment properly.
Try your ginger bug in these recipes:
References
- Wright, John. (2011) How to Make Real Ginger Beer. The Guardian.
- Katz, Sandor. (2012) The Art of Fermentation. Chelsea Green Publishing.
- Fleming, T. (ed) (2000) The Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicine. Medical Economics Company.
- Smith, C., Crowther, C., Wilson, K., Hotham, N., McMillian, V. (2004, Apr) A randomized controlled trial of ginger to treat nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 103(4), 639-645.
- Maghbooli, M., Golipour, F., Edfandabadi, A.M., Yousefi, M. (2013, May 9) Comparison Between the Efficacy of Ginger and Sumatriptan in the Ablative Treatment of the Common Migraine. Phytotherapy Research, 8(3), 412-415.
Desmon says
Hello the bug recipe came out phenomenal!
However i'm having trouble after the fact...
1. I Would really like clarification and additional details on how to maintain the bug in the fridge. Also The specific ingredients I need weekly to maintain it.
2. What to replace into the bug when I strain some of the liquid out to use.
3. Do I need to remove ginger at any point or do I just keep adding ginger and sugar?
4. Can somebody please post the recipe on how to use the bug to make ginger beer? thank you.
Maxx says
The first time I made this is worked wonderfully, however the last two batches haven't turned 'bubbly', and the last one I used the 'soda' I made tasted moldy! What am I doing wrong?
Kristella says
Is it possible to keep the ginger bug going forever like a sourdough starter?
Gillian says
The lemonade recipe using the ginger bug is wonderful ! As I have my own bees I can use their honey to feed the bugs too !
My ginger / turmeric bug is in the fridge now. Is that right I just feed once a week?
Mare Simone says
Thank you for your recipe. My first batch of ginger beer via ginger bug came out wonderful with an incredible amount of bubbly fermentation. I put the bug in the refrigerator for a couple of months and didn't feed it much.
But now I want to make another batch and I've been adding sugar and ginger but it's not fermenting this time. I haven't been adding more water, I'd need a larger container but perhaps I should try that?
Any suggestions?
Jenny McGruther says
Hi Mare -
You should start over with a fresh batch and fresh jar.
Amanda says
Is it possible to use sweetened green tea when fermenting the bug with tea? I regularly make a honey-sweetened rooibos/green iced tea and am intrigued by the idea of adding probiotics to the mix.
Jenny McGruther says
Yes, you can certainly try. I recommend mixing about 1/4 cup strained ginger bug to 1 quart sweetened tea and allowing it to ferment for 1-3 days depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Shelli Johannpeter says
I HAVE A QUESTION. BEING A MEAD MAKER WOULDN'T IT BE SAFER TO USE AN AIRLOCK SO YOU DON'T MAKE A BOTTLE BOMB? JUST CURIOUS.
Jenny McGruther says
HI SHELLI -
SINCE YOU ARE OPENING THE JAR OF GINGER BUG EVERY DAY TO FEED IT, WHICH ALLOWS C02 BUILD-UP TO ESCAPE, AN AIRLOCK IS NOT NECESSARY. IF YOU ENJOY USING AN AIRLOCK, BY ALL MEANS, DO.
maron says
easy
Kate says
Thank you for the recipe. My ginger bug is coming along nicely, but I have 2 questions. First, this recipe says to use a lid and close the jar tightly while other instructions say to use a breathable fabric. Will please explain the difference in methods? Secondly, after straining a 1/2 cup to use, the volume reduces. Are we supposed to add more water at some point? Thank you so much.
Neha says
Hi! I followed another recipe for ginger bug and it didn't seem to work. But this one did.
Mariel says
So fun, thank you for this recipe! Is it possible to keep your ginger bug alive after taking a 1/2 cup from it to use?
Sonuahua Compton says
your ginger root can be perpetual if you keep feeding it. Feed daily if you keep it out on the counter or weekly if you keep it in the fridge.
John says
I made something quite similar by accident with horseradish root.
I had a few mason jars with horseradish cuttings that I was trying to get to grow a bit before planting them in soil. One of the jars the horseradish grew feeler roots and was ready to transplant to soil, the other jar the water was a tinged color and when I picked up the jar bubble rapidly rose to the surface like a glass of seltzer.
I don't think I'll drink it but it was funny to see and as the bubbles popped the whole kitchen smelled of horseradish.
Katie says
My ginger bug works great with honey and I've used it to make the lemon soda several times. Thanks for this recipe! Do you know if it's possible to use ginger bug in place of whey or sauerkraut juice when fermenting?
Stephen says
Honey will not work - i just started researching this and am by no means an expert but many sources mention that honey will necessary bacteria to form the ginger bug. Surprised you don’t know this given your extensive experience publishing on this topic ...
Stephen says
Typo above:
Honey will not work – i just started researching this and am by no means an expert but many sources mention that honey can kill necessary bacteria to form the ginger bug. Surprised you don’t know this given your extensive experience publishing on this topic …
Jenny says
Hi Stephen,
Actually, honey will work. I know this given my extensive experiencing publishing on this topic and my extensive experience teaching this topic for over a decade. Further, I promise you that that experience far outweighs your experience given you "just started researching."
Jen says
Mansplaining, psh!
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. I am close to bottling it for the soda. Can't wait to explore the rest of your lovely site!
Joyce says
Thank you for sharing the great recipe!
For storage of ginger buds ~ after using it for some times with feeding new ginger, sugar and water every week, it would have more and more ginger residues in it, do I need to clear the old grinded ginger from time to time?
Steph says
I tried this with some pineapple juice, and it was so good. It got really fizzy after only 2 days. Do I need to worry about the bottles exploding or anything?
Laura says
This is truly amazing information. I cannot have sugar but how about raw blue Agave? I cannot have fruit juice, it's like poison for me, but if I can I will tell others about this recipe. Thank you for all your hard work.
Lisa says
I have had a batch of gingerbug brewing for while. I actually made mine with raw honey and it worked out great. I keep it in the fridge and take out and feed it periodically. When I use some bug I replace it as you describe too above. As the ingredients are added and strained for use the ginger eventually settles at the bottom of the jar and a sediment builds up. My question is, should the gingerbug ever strained to a clean jar so that the sediment and older ginger can be tossed and the current batch can continue on with fresh ginger?
On a secondary note. My ginger has a lot of fizz, but overtime, my gingerbug has went from a yeasty smell to more of a yeasty sweet alcoholic smell. I know as any ferments it can turn to alcohol. I just want to make sure this does not ruin the purpose of the gingerbug to make naturally carbonated soda or when it gets to point should a new batch be made and the older batch be made to be used in making homemade alcoholic beverages.
martha munters says
Thank you, Jenny,
For this wonderful recipe for the ginger bug. I made it, refrigerated it and started feeding it once a week for a couple of weeks and then decided to use it for a 2nd ferment for my kombucha together and separately with a little fresh fruit, like raspberries or macerated strawberries and it was so delicious both separately and together with the fruit.
When I flipped the top of the bottle back, it was like a champagne cork, but the flavor was wonderful. The one I flavored just with ginger was the best ginger ale I have ever drunk. Thank you.
Best,
Martha
Carrie says
I recently made this recipe but altered it a bit. I used coconut sugar rather than unrefined cane sugar and I fed it probably every 2-4 days for about 2 weeks, rather than every day for 5 days. It is nice and fermenty now and I put it in the fridge. I just want to make sure that it is still "safe" to use having been prepared this way rather than by following the recipe. Any thoughts?
Joel Henry says
Has anyone here ever used Xylitol to ferment with?
Jane says
Is there any reason I couldn't do the final ferment in a firmly closed canning jar instead of a flip-top bottle? I have tons of them . . .
oh says
Jane, no problem, except there wii be alot of built up pressure from the soda., making it difficult to unscrew the jar lid. This is the reason pop tops are preferred, I guess.
Ivriniel says
Why do you peel the ginger for the bug? It was my understanding that the yeasts and lactobacillus is found mostly in the skin of the ginger.
Rebecca Wirth says
I have the same question several others have, but have not seen an answer. Do you keep the bug in the fridge forever after the five days as long as you continue to feed it? There seems to be confusion about this with some readers and now it has me questioning the process. I've always kept it in the fridge and continued to feed once per week (while still in the fridge) but now I wonder if that's wrong.
Thanks in advance!
Holly says
Hi! Do I put a solid lid on the ginger bug when it goes in the fridge or do I leave the coffee filter on?
Cait says
I don't drink alcohol for religious reasons, but I'm interested in this recipe. Do you have any idea of the alcohol content of this beverage and other like beverages (root beer, and others you mentioned)?
Jeff says
Is it normal for the ginger bug to turn a reddish color. This is my first try at making it.
sandy says
can a 'bug' be created by another ingredient aside from ginger? I am allergic to itbut would love to start making my own 'sodas' from fermented healthy ingredients
Sonuahua Compton says
I have made fizzy juices with active whey from yogurt
Kasthy says
Once the soda is made and chilled does it have to stay in the fridge? Or can it be stored on the pantry shelf? How long is it good for?
Thanks
Stephanie says
Great post! I've tried to make a ginger bug with dried ginger and didn't care for the results. I'll have to try fresh ginger instead. Thanks for the inspiration!
Andie says
I keep the organic peel on, chop it and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Each day, I feed my ginger bug a tsp. Ginger and tsp. sugar. I've been making sodas for over a year with perfect results.
Mike G says
I just finished up my first batch of ginger bug a couple days ago, but it doesn't seem to have worked. I have lots of grated ginger sitting on top of the liquid, and I don't have a you sweet, beer like smell. It smells more like lemony ginger. Do you think this will still work? I don't want to waste all the ingredients I got for my root beer, so I'd rather make a new batch of ginger bug if that would be better. Please let me know what you think
Jeanmarie says
I just started a ginger bug... I can't imagine why I haven't done this before! Thanks, as always, for the inspiration, Jenny!
Aaron says
I'm on day 5 of my ginger bug and almost everything seems to be going well except for the bright pink that its turning. Anyone else have this happen?
Barb says
I have coconut palm sugar. Would that work?
Cat says
If mine never ferments, can I add whey to get it started? I'm going on a week and a half with no bubbles or beer smell after following the directions to a T.
Cat says
Ok, mine finally fermented!
I'm going to stick it in the fridge but I hope I can put a proper lid on it now?
I don't want it to taste like fridge….
Cat says
Nor do i want it to explode...
Marguerite says
You say warm spot. Can it be in the window sill, sun?
Jenny says
I think that might be a little too warm.
Sharon says
I love this and have made it. My question is about the maintenance of the ginger bug. After a couple of uses, it has gotten thick and syrupy. Is there a solution to this? Have you had it happen to you? Is it a common occurrence, and do we just need to make new ginger bug every so often, or am I doing something wrong?
Austin says
Did you keep it in the fridge? I'm only a beginner, but it seems like you need to keep it in the fridge after the initial 5 days of fermentation are over.
Ivriniel says
I think every so often you need to start a fresh one. Over time they can get more and more sour as the acids build up.
Lan says
I started this today! So excited and looking forward to using it! I'm just curious why ginger is mixed with sugar and not salt as when fermenting other veggies. Is it meant to capture/foster the growth of different microorganisms (than the ferments with salt? Can one ferment ginger using salt?
Kyle says
I am trying my hand at making some ginger bug soda. I started my ginger bug about 4 days ago, and it was bubbling and fizzing nicely. I added about 1/2 cup of the ginger bug to roughly 32 oz. of white grape juice. I have this mixture in a mason jar covered with cheesecloth. I put it in the jar on Thursday, and here it is Saturday, and it appears the same. Will this mixture eventually get the bubbles and carbonation? Do I just need to let it sit on the counter, and stir it once a day until this happens? Like I said, this is my first time doing this.
Kyle says
Also, I did not use this specific ginger bug recipe, I used one I found in Bon Apetit magazine.
Ivriniel says
If you leave it in an unsealed jar, your carbon dioxide will escape.
Sophie says
It needs to be fully enclosed in order to start carbonating, if you’re worried feel free to “burp” (release some carbonation) each day. Make sure it’s in a thick glass jar because too much pressure can cause breakage.
Rj says
I am using lavendar simple syrup for sugar and water. I wonder if flavors during the bugging stage make a different taste. I also have orange water. I wonder if using orange blossom or rose water changes the taste in a positive way during that stage.
Austin says
They will change the taste a little bit, but as you only use 1/4 cup of ginger bug per quart of soda base, the flavor would be very diluted. You'd be better off using a quart of lavender tea, rose water, orange blossom water, etc. with 1/4 cup of unflavored ginger bug.
Maria says
My ginger bug looks really nice in the jar but it doesn't seem to survive in the soda. I used normal sugar for the bug and cane sugar in the soda I wanted to produce. could it be that this switch killed the bug?!
melba smith says
I had no problem getting my ginger bug going. When I went to measure out 1/4 cup of ginger bug it was so thick it would not strain. Not liquid at all-very thick. I added more water and it is still much too thick. What should I do. The ginger bug is growing faster than I can use it. I made sweetened tea and have added it to that and it seems to be fermenting. Just would like to know about this very thick ginger bug. No one else has mentioned it being so very thick.
Justine says
First of all- thanks for this awesome recipe. I had the first taste of a soda I made yesterday, and it is so excitingly delicious. My question is: After the bug activates, do you still keep it loosely covered? or can you cover it tightly? Does the bug still need air? Or is the loose top to help gas escape?
Also, does the bug stay alive with ginger? I think I put too much ginger in it originally.
Bruce Weaver says
Loved this recipe so much I decided to make a how to video! Love my Ginger Bug
http://youtu.be/5eJRS7SXqF8
Ricard says
What about ginger beer bug? What's the difference in probiotics strains and or amounts?
Yemoos.com sells an authentic ginger beer bug that looks like water kefir but they claim is totally different. Thoughts?
Ron Bednar says
Thank you Jenny for this beautiful web site and all the information you relate...just wonderful!
Loved reading through the posts and replies.
Only thing I could add is this...When making your initial "ginger bug" include grating the skin of the ginger root.
All root veggies have lacto bacteria on their roots, mainly on the skin and that is what we need to kick off the bug. Doing that also eliminates the need for adding yogurt whey if you don't have any...although the added whey certainly doesn't hurt.
A general heads up to all the good folks reading this and looking toward more natural foods and better nutrition.
It's really all very basic, learn the rudiments of fermentation and experiment using common sense...and share your discoveries with others.
Cheers
thuy says
In step 1 it states to cover the jar loosely. Do you mean with some fabric or paper towel? It's been over a week and not much is happening with mine, I put a paper towel with a rubber band over the top. I've read on other sites to put the mason jar lid on and I'm wondering if that's what I need to do.
Nancy Zimmerman says
Can coconut sugar be used to make a ginger bud ?
James Howell says
As I understand fermentation of sugared items like kombucha, the sucrose is used by the microorganisms but they leave behind the fructose. Having suffered from gout for several decades, I am very nervous about anything with fructose. Is it true kombucha, etc., is high in fructose?
Trinity says
Anyone have a recipe to make ginger ale that tastes similar to the store-bought ginger ale?
Pucelle says
Store-bought ginger ale doesn't have any ginger in it. It's mostly sugar and tastes nothing like real ginger ale. Real ginger ale is just ginger, water, & sugar; Jamaican's usually add some spices towards the end.
Ivriniel says
Ginger ale does actually contain ginger. It just has a lot less.
Ivriniel says
There is a recipe for ginger ale in "True Brews" by Emma Christensen. She uses champagne yeast to brew it, rather than a ginger bug, though.
Michelle says
Will this mixture last indefinitely as long as I am feeding it weekly? Or does it have a shelf life?
jeena says
Can you use frozen ginger?
judith says
I recently tried making 'soda' using coconut water from a young coconut. After a little over 24 hours I noticed that a white powdery (moldy looking) layer had developed on the surface of the water. Is this a bad thing? I hope so, because I poured everything down the drain.
cheryl says
well it took a full week for the ferment to get going! I almost gave up...moving the jar around our un-airconditioned apartment to get the right temperature, an it's been really hot and muggy...but one day it just started going, like an engine had turned on! I had been feeding the jar with the ginger/sugar/water throughout this "dormant" period. Once it started to bubble, I waited a day then scooped out the 1/4 c liquid to start a soda. That's sitting on the counter and last night it too started to bubble. Seeing that the ginger bug had only been fermenting one day ( after 7 sitting around waiting) I'm going to try to let the ferment keep going on the counter for a few more days, keep feeding it, before I put it in the fridge. I'll see how the first batch of soda turns out, but maybe I need to let my bug develop for a few more days before I try to get a soda out of it...we'll see how the first one will turn out. I guess this is all a little "try and see"...Certainly I never expected the ginger bug to take 7 days to start to bubble, but it did! Now it looks just like the photo! Feel a bit like a mad scientist, but compared to walking down the soda isle in a big supermarket...well, I'm not too worried!
Nancy Alemany says
Yes, I will elaborate. I think there is some confusion about what is where. I followed the instructions and decided to add a quart of sweetened ginger tea to 1/4 cup of ginger bug. Then I put the sweetened ginger tea/ginger bug combination into the flip-top bottles and let them ferment on the counter, after three days I put the flip-top bottles into the fridge. I was so surprised that the beverage was thick and not liquidy as I would have expected, that I am in a holding pattern about what to do next. Hope that helps, Thanks!
Nancy Alemany says
I might add, 1/4 cup ginger bug juice, not the ginger bug itself. The starter is still happily fermenting with a new addition of filtered water and organic unprocessed sugar.
Nancy A says
So i've made my first ginger bug and I have a question. The bubbles formed in my flip-top bottles and I placed it in the fridge after 3 days but when I poured it out of the bottle it was thick and not liquid as I would have expected. Is this normal? Is it okay to drink? This is my first experience with Ginger Bug and I don't know if I've created what was intended. Thanks!
Jenny says
I'm not sure why you put the ginger bug in a flip-top bottle in the fridge after 3 days. Can you elaborate on that?
Julie says
thank you so much for this awesome recipe! i plan to start the ginger bug tonight. i came across your site as i was browsing for a ginger ale recipe. can we use the ginger bug to make ginger ale? do you have a recipe for ginger ale? thanks again!!!
Samantha says
I'm a bit nervous to try any homemade sodas after a kefir soda explosion. Do you have to burp these frequently?
Rachel says
I plan to begin by using recycled and sterilized plastic bottles rather than glass --- an explosion would still be messy, but not so scary without the glass shards.
Lynne says
Watch out! Sterilizing plastic bottles is said to release dangerous cancer-causing agents. My doctor and homeopath warn about reusing or even using plastic bottles at all.
Jeremy says
I would use plastic only when no other suitable material were available. That being said, if you use an airlock in your fermentor you won't have to worry about burping or explosions. Most suitable glass containers (bail-top bottles, growlers, etc.) can handle the pressure.
Catherine says
This is my third attempt at making a ginger bug. I had assumed my home was too cold (64 degrees) we had a few warm days and I was excited as I was finally seeing some bubbles. I fed it as directed and havent seen bubbles since. It got a little cooler (70 degrees). I have fed it for 3 more days and still nothing. Do I have to scrap it and start over? My two batches of Root beer did not work when I tried it with Kefir starter. Im using distilled water and organic cane sugar and fresh organic ginger. Any ideas?
Lesle-Ann says
Hi.
The root beer is bottled and I am excited. This is my first batch.
My question is how long can we keep the bug? Should if go in the fridge or can I keep it on the counter if I want to make more ginger beer soon?
Astrid Hensel says
I am very new in this kind of thing,meaning fermenting food. My question is when you make the sweetened herbal tea how much sugar do you use for the one quart of tea?
Thank you for all the good recipes and information.
Astrid
Chrystal says
My ginger bug looked good and smells good after 5 days. I placed it in the fridge to store and after 3 days it is not bubbling anymore. Should I take it out and place on the counter again?
Kristin says
I was curious on the same thing.. Mine doesn't seem active since I put it in the fridge.. I took out what I needed to brew, fed it and let sit on the counter till room temp- started brew and it is working fine.
Jeanne says
In the directions you say to feed it every day for the first 5 days.
But, in the beginning of the article you say you feed it daily: "A little jar of ginger bug, a slurry of ginger and sugar, sits on my countertop next to my sourdough starter, where, fed daily, it bubbles and foams."
So what do we do after the first 5 days?
Feed it once a week with the 2T each ginger/sugar/water and daily a 1/4c each of sugar and water (assuming I am removing 1/4 a day of liquid)?
Or daily feed it 2T each ginger/sugar/water, in addition to 1/4c each of sugar and water (assuming I am removing 1/4 a day of liquid)?
Eric says
My ginger bug is currently bubbling a little, been 5 days now. Was wondering if it is normal for most of the ginger to wind up clumping up at the top of the the mixture. It'll happen over a few hours after mixing and the bubbles seem stuck underneath it. I'll mix it but it will eventually clump up again. Any help from anyone would be great!
Janie says
Mine is doing the same thing and not an lot of bubbles
Judy says
Help please! The ginger bug turned out great, your recipe is a bit different than ginger bug recipes I used previously but made a much more active bug for me. I added it to a strawberry wort to make strawberry soda that I've successfully made in the past many times. The wort was just fresh organic strawberries, organic whole cane sugar and purified water simmered for 20 minutes. It took longer than usual to see bubbles (10 days). Problem, there is also a film that has accumulated on the top, looks a little like a scum and seems to have some particulates on it. But bubbles are being generated. Is this film/scum something to be concerned about? The soda smells normal - like it has in the past (strawberry/ginger fermented smell). Is it still OK to bottle and drink this?
glenda gonser says
also I have chunks of ginger already peeled and frozen, I take them out to make tea. would they work if they are left to thaw then grated?
glenda gonser says
would the cones of mexican sugar work?
pigneguy says
i read elsewhere that the skin of the ginger is needed...as that's the source of the lactobacillus bacteria.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/diy-ginger-bug-and-lacot-fermented-zb01302zrob.aspx#ixzz2SLXuK2c1
Jenny says
It's not necessary. Lactobacillus exist nearly everywhere.
Sara says
I used peeled ginger when I started mine, and it was active in 2 days.
I've seen a lot of places saying it's necessary, but having an active, fizzing bug in 2 days makes me doubt that.
Kendahl @ Our Nourishing Roots says
I love ginger! And ginger ale has been a favorite of mine since childhood, but I vastly prefer the traditional version, which I never discovered until a few years ago. So much better!
Janelle @ a Shiloh Life says
Hi Kendahl! Could you share your 'traditional version' ginger ale recipe? 🙂 Kind regards, Janelle
Amy says
Silly me. Soon as I finished typing my comment (certain I had inferior ginger or sugar) moved my bug to a warmer spot. Next day, bubbles! Gonna brew some tea and try bottling tonight.
Amy says
I am 5 days into feeding my ginger bug, but still no bubbling. I have it covered with paper towel like I do my kombucha. Should I be covering it with the jar lid? I don't want to waste such expensive sweetener if it is just not gonna grow.
Katrín says
I was just wondering, could the ginger bug liquid possibly be used as a substitute for whey when fermenting things like vegetables? Whey is just not sold here in Norway..
Love your blog!
Sandy McG-B says
You don't have to buy whey, if you strain yoghurt through a cloth, the liquid that comes out is whey. 🙂
Cindi@MyPrimalAdventures says
I LOVE home made fermented gingerale/beer and make my own often--but now my daughter has asked (and so I ask you)--can you make fermented home made lemonade the same, making a "lemon bug" with chunks of lemon and peel? I've heard of making fermented preserved lemons--but not lemonade. When I add lemons to my kombucha, it goes a little crazy with fizz. I wonder how this would effect it?
Karen says
Cindi, at thehealthyhomeeconomist.com, Sarah has a recipe for fermented lemonade.
Dolores says
I would love your recipe for fermented lemonade as I have an abundant supply of lemons.
Marisa Schwartz says
What kind of herbal tea have you found that goes well with the ginger bug?
Any specific brands/flavors? Thank you!
Melissa says
Have you ever tried adding this to kombucha? I'm thinking it would help it be more fizzy.
Thx!
SH says
Kombucha is made with a SCOBY. Different set of bacteria and yeast. Both delicious, fizzy, fermented beverages though 🙂
Rachel says
Can you use a bottle with a cork rather than the flip top bottles?
judith says
If your 'soda' is fermenting correctly, it will blow a cork out of the bottle. My first batch of pineapple/orange soda would literally blow my bangs up when I released the flip top off the bottles.
Vicky says
This sounds great! I can't wait to try it. Just want to clarify the feeding process, if the ginger bug has been in the fridge. When I feed it, do I leave it out in a warm place for a set about of time and then return to the fridge or do I just feed a d re-refrigerate? Thanks!
Sally says
This is a very interesting post! Surely we can do a lot of things with ginger and most of them are beneficial for our body too.
Joan Smith says
This fascinates me because I love ginger and all that it does. an we use coconut sugar? What is your definition of loosely covered? For my yogurt and kefir I top their jars with a coffee filter held on with a rubber band. Is that lose enough? I usually microplane my ginger, but your picture looks like your ginger is more coarsely grated.
Cindi@MyPrimalAdventures says
A friend of mine tried using coconut sugar, and turbinado sugar, and they were so malty that she couldn't get past the smell and threw them out.
Holly says
I'm unclear on the "sweetened herbal infusion" - what exactly is that?
Also, does this consume enough of the sugar to be GAPs legal?
Thanks!
Scott says
Looking forward to giving this a try soonest. Do you know of any reason why agave nectar wouldn't work as the caloric sweetener?
Molly says
What do you do with the bug after you use the initial 1/4c to make ginger drink? Do you keep it alive in fridge and feed like the sourdough starter 1 time a week or on counter and feed daily?
Celina says
I have the same question!
SH says
Step 3 " Replace the 1/4 cup ginger bug you've removed with 1/4 cup sugar dissolved into 1/4 cup water."
Step 2 "You can also store it in the refrigerator, and feed it 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water once a week."
Michael says
Don't you then end up with 1/4 +1/4 cup of sugar water = 1/2 cup?
Isn't that going to outgrow your container awfully fast?
Anne Tobin says
I want to thank your for making your recipes easy to print. I can't wait to try the ginger bug and make my own healthy ginger ale. Thank you, thank you.
Nan Roberts says
What do you mean by "room temperature?" I see most things should ferment at that temp. Is it 70? My house is usually rather cold, say 65, depending on the room. I could leave the best on in the bedroom, tho, and bring it up to the right temp.
I can't wait to make a ginger bug. Especially to make ginger beer (or would it be ale?)
Diane says
Can I substitute Stevia for the sugar...OR...use 'Sugar In The Raw'?
Jenny says
Stevia is not a caloric sweetener and will not work. The sugars I link to above are *much* less refined than "Sugar in the Raw," though you can certainly substitute for it.
judy says
Does it *have* to be unrefined sugar? Or will white sugar from the supermarket work equally well, just with less nutrients in the final product?
Kendra says
I would like to know the same. I usually have sucanat on hand but am currently out. However, I do have ginger and would like to get started with this before our local food co-op drop in 2 weeks...
Makenna says
When this is done, is it alchoholic? I know salt stops alchoholic from forming when lacto fermenting, but what about this?
Cindi@MyPrimalAdventures says
I was trying to let mine become more of a ginger "beer" and let a bottle sit (sealed) on the counter for 5 weeks. I tested it's alcohol content with a hydrometer, and it still did not even register, meaning the alcohol content was negligible at best.
clyde says
You will not get a proper reading with the hydrometer if there are other dissolved solids in the solution (sugar is the main one, but there will be others present also). Gram per gram, sugar will out 'weigh' the alcohol by more than half. In other words, 1% sugar will hide 2% alcohol.
You can get a rough calculation of the % of alcohol produced by multiplying of sugar added (and is fermented) by 61% (0.61). If the fermentation is not stopped in some manner (which includes consuming!) the yeast will always continue to ferment the sugar that is available.
Not that this would keep 'me' from making any!
Michael says
This is not accurate. The hydrometer will work with non-sugar material in the solution. Make sure it is a brewing hydrometer that measures the amount of sugars in a solution of water and it will work properly.
elf says
Is the amount of Jaggery the same as the sugar?
Marilyn says
OK, I get that the sugar in the ginger bug is for the bacteria in the the bug. And I don't have a problem with the idea of using sugar. The problem is -- I'm hyper-sensitive to sucrose, and if it ISN'T all eaten up / broken down, I can get really sick. For some odd reason, I don't like getting sick. So -- CAN honey be used for the bug? I know the lactobacilli in my honey-sweetened coleslaw dressing really like honey... I had a batch of coleslaw which got pushed to the back, and the bacteria joyously ate up the honey in the dressing, yielding a most interesting sauerslaw.
Jenny says
I would recommend looking into the Body Ecology Ecobloom linked above. I'm working on a version that uses this alone. It is likely able to support the fermentation of the bug and the soda.
Marilyn says
Alas, the Body Ecology "Bloom" is pure inulin, FOS, fructooligosaccharides, and I can't do that, either. There are plenty of us out here for whom honey is the only nutritive sweetener around, unless you want to try it with dates or mashed ripe bananas.
Lynne says
I, too, want to know about honey or rapadura as those are readily available to me, and I, too, avoid sugar. Can it be used in ginger bug or kombucha?
Susan Catron says
Jun is like kombucha but uses honey to sweeten the tea. I have never made Jun, just read about it.
Tom says
Honey is very fermentable. I make Jun and mead with it all the time. I would follow these directions and sub the sugar with honey. Play with the amounts until it works for you. Have fun!
Jody says
Thanks to all those who asked about honey. I use sugar maybe once a year so all I have is refined. But I have raw local honey and will do that! 🙂
Jeremiah says
In general, honey ferments nicely as far as flavor goes but tends to leave more unfermented sugars, stalls with too much, and generally ferments slower---all probably due to its antimicrobial properties.
If honey, being mostly made up of the monosaccharides fructose and glucose doesn't cause you problems, invert syrup may be a good option. Invert syrup is very similar to honey in its saccharide ratios and is reasonably easy to prepare, resulting in a fairly balanced mixture of fructose and glucose. Like honey, invert syrup does retain some sucrose, so I recommend proceeding with caution regardless of the sweetener used. Fermentation itself can do a good job of "cleaning up" sucrose, but this will vary on how far you let it go.
Yeast inverts sucrose itself using invertase, so invert syrup "spares" the yeast that first step and tend to result in a faster and more predictable start.
rik says
Try to heat the honey above 45 degrees celsius. The protein that prevents grow of bacteria will be destroyed. It also destroys an enzyme which breaks down sugar into hydrogen peroxide.
With those two enzymes out of the way your honey does exactly what it needs to do, feeding the bacteria.
Lindsey says
Hi Marilyn, I learned recently honey does work but it can take months rather than days to ferment. I've not tried honey yet although i intend to so i'd say give it a try bit be prepared to wait. you may find it to ferment fast depending on temperatures and or stirring more for air circulation. Good Luck 🙂
Lindsey says
Jeremiah explained it better, apologies I did not see his comment until after my post.
RPL says
Sandor Katz has a recipe for mead in Wild Fermentations... mead is from honey & it ferments in just 3 days... I've never had an issue getting raw honey to ferment.
On a side note & why I came here- I'm on day 6 & used florida crystals sugar- no ferment at all. This is the first ferment I've ever had an issue with. I chopped the ginger fine with a knife, I didn't have a grater bigger than a microplane, otherwise I followed the directions precisely. Any idea what the issue could be? I've never had a problem with any ferment or with one of NK's recipes & I did check to see if there was a ginger bug recipe on the Get Cultured class series... hoping with a video I could find the answer. Any help would be appreciated!
Wynfrith says
Having made mead, you cook the honey and strain a lot of the protiens out, leaving a more refined honey that the yeast finds easier to digest.
Mel says
I did an experiment with this. I made one with sugar and one with honey to see what happened. I started them on the same day and sat them next to each other. Every day for 5 days I fed them as per the directions above but using 2tbsp honey instead of sugar in one of them.
After about 3 or 4 days, my sugar one had started bubbling but there was no action on the honey. I kept feeding for a couple more days then put the sugar one in the fridge. I didn't feed the honey one for 3 or 4 days as I figured there would still be plenty of 'food' in there if it hadn't started fermenting yet. I fed the honey one about once or twice a week after this and eventually after about 2 weeks it started slowly bubbling.
So it seems you can use honey but it will take a lot longer to get started. I should point out it's starting to get chilly here now (ranging from a high of 20 degrees C to a low of 10 degrees C at night) so it might not take quite so long if you're living in a warmer part of the world (ie most of the Northern Hemisphere!).
ZoeZenGarden says
Thank you for doing the experiment and providing this information!! My mother is actually allergic to sugarcane and I was hoping to be able to make this for her! I am so glad to know that it can be done with honey and a little patience! YAY! You seriously made my day!
Jason says
Most health food stores and maybe even some supermarkets sell powdered, refined fructose, and sometimes even glucose - the two sugar components of honey. I would imagine those have little or no residual sucrose compared to an invert syrup someone has made on their stovetop. They can be a little pricey, but probably no more so than good honey.
Jason says
Corn sugar is also easily purchased where brewing supplies are sold (and maybe even in health food stores). Corn sugar is glucose, though you might want to research to see if it contains any residual sucrose. I don't think it would since it is made from hydrolysis of starch. I wouldn't think it would contain any sucrose to begin with, but I could be wrong.
Sean says
The feeding directions are also vague. Must one feed it a knob of ginger every morning for ever? Every few days? Once a week? For my sourdough I feed it intensively when I want a lot of strong starter for baking and just keep it in maintenance mode the rest of the time. I am not sure I can add grate a knob of ginger to my list of daily maintenance the kitchen needs.
What would letting it coast be like? No food for a week in the fridge?
Jenny says
I think it'd be fine - just like a sourdough starter. Once it gets going, it's quite resilient.
Eduardo says
Hi Jenny, I´ve just read your post on How to make ginger Bug for hmemade sodas. I am getting started on making homemade soda for the family.
How long does the soda last on the after is made and placed in the fridge? and, Does the fermentation stops completely when the soda is cooled on the fridge?
Cheers,
Eduardo
SH says
After the initial 5 days, you feed it weekly. See step 2 "You can also store it in the refrigerator, and feed it 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water once a week."
maurita says
this sounds awesome! just one question: at the end of the directions you say to "replace what you remove with sugar water". how much sugar would you add to the 1/4 c. water you would add back in?
kate says
im on day 4 and also no bubbling or beer flavor. im using regular sugar and it is a little cold here. i read that it takes longer in cooler environment, like 8 days. i also have stored my fresh ginger in the fridge then take out and add to the bug, which may make it cooler and inhibit growth of lactobacillus. any suggestions? should i put it in an oven set to lowest setting for 1 minute and then cut off like i do when breads rising? i wanna get the bacteria growing!
SH says
See step 3 "Replace the 1/4 cup ginger bug you've removed with 1/4 cup sugar dissolved into 1/4 cup water."
Glod says
1/4 cup of sugar dissolved into a 1/4 of water